---
title: Critical Raw Materials Needed for Half of Austria’s Export Economy
description: "As an independent institute, we have been bringing clarity to Austria’s climate discourse since January 2024."
url: "https://www.kontext-institut.at/en/graphics/critical-raw-materials-austria-economy/"
date_modified: "2026-07-08T09:59:32+02:00"
---

 # Critical Raw Materials Needed for Half of Austria’s Export Economy

Tuesday, 12.05.2026

Europe and Austria are economically and geopolitically dependent on critical raw materials. This is a growing security risk. Bottlenecks in supply chains threaten the supply of these materials and, with it, the competitiveness of the domestic economy. Austria's export economy is directly affected by this: more than half of Austria's annual exports (97 billion euros) require critical raw materials. The automotive, steel, and machinery industries are particularly exposed, together exporting around 24 billion euros' worth of products for which supply chains are highly at risk.

Circular economy measures offer the best way to free ourselves from this dependency, become immune to political blackmail, and safeguard our competitiveness.

You can find more context for this graphic in: [KONTEXTANALYSE #8: Critical Raw Materials: Resilience and Security through Circular Economy.](https://kontext-institut.files.svdcdn.com/production/Dateien/202605_KONTEXTANALYSE_Kritische-Rohstoffe-und-Kreislaufwirtschaft.pdf?dm=1778154945) The study by the KONTEXT Institute, based on data from the Supply Chain Intelligence Institute Austria (ASCII), shows how the circular economy ensures raw material security and thereby makes Europe and Austria more independent.

##  Related Links 

- [KONTEXTANALYSE #8: Critical Raw Materials: Resilience and Security through Circular Economy (GERMAN)](https://kontext-institut.files.svdcdn.com/production/Dateien/202605_KONTEXTANALYSE_Kritische-Rohstoffe-und-Kreislaufwirtschaft.pdf?dm=1778154945)